Vivian

Chapter 2: Interesting Conversations

On my way back home, I thought of buying some gums at a road side ntemba (small roadside shop). As I was waiting to be served, a certain man came rushing and asked for condoms. To my dismay the shop attendant looked surprised and shocked. After serving the man, the attendant expressed his disapproval at the fact that it was only 12 in the afternoon and the man was freely, proudly, flamboyantly, courageously, shamelessly, foolishly and stupidly buying condoms in broad daylight.

Fortunately for the attendant, there was a customer at the shop who said, "What wrong did the man do?" "Honestly sir! You mean you saw no wrong with that!" the attendant replied full of disapproval. "No," the customer said. At that time, I had suspended my business and turned into an audience for the apparently interesting conversation.

The conversation continued between the two and the customer said to the attendant, "I will tell you what happened to me one day and why I believe there is nothing wrong with what the man did. One day I was drawn by the beauty of a young lady and in the process, my blood got hot and I was unable to hold myself back. The lady looked innocent and I ended up having a sexual affair with her. Three days after the ordeal, I got sick. At the hospital I was diagnosed with STIs. They gave me medication but to no avail. Apart from the pain in and around my genitals, I was equally at pains to explain my avoiding my wife to my wife. For two weeks I made story after story so as to avoid rousing suspicion in her."

At this stage, the customer had literally won our attention my eyes and those of the shopkeeper were fixed at him. We were learning loving to learn and learning to learn.

The customer continued his narration saying, "When conventional medicine appeared to be failing, my friends suggested I try traditional medicine and they directed me to Soweto Market. Once at Soweto Market I met an elderly lady and told her my story. The lady was smiling as she handed me the medicine. I took the medicine and the instructions and paid my bill and left in great anticipation. Only after two days, I was back at Soweto Market and gave the lady a cool K100 as a token of appreciation. The medicine had worked miracles and wonders. From that day onwards, I learnt the importance of a condom though I have to admit that the episode taught me the value of fidelity."

Almost an hour had elapsed since my stopping at the small shop. I had completely forgotten about the gums when the transformed and apparently converted shopkeeper beckoned to me and handed me the gums.

I was effortlessly chewing my gums in and deep in my daydream when something unusual transpired to the entertainment of the passing crowds and dismay of the domicile neighbours. An elderly man was locked in a fierce argument with a young man. With the help of gossipy neighbours, I learnt what the fuss was all about.

The issue at hand was that the young man in question had impregnated the daughter of the elderly man and denied that he was responsible. The father of the girl took it upon himself to provide for his daughter until she gave birth. After five years, the young man returned and U turned on his initial stance and was now demanding custody of the child.

Upon hearing this, the father of the girl was sure that he had seen both the beginning and end of the world. The man was convinced beyond doubt that the young man was mad and that there was no alibi not to render him as such. When the young man persisted in his quest, the father of the lady had no more words left but action. For a while he withdrew into the house and came out at the speed of light with a machete. He was aiming for the head of the young man the resultant action was a cat and mouse race to the applause of the passing crowd and dismay of resident neighbours.

I had just arrived home from a tiresome, eventful and interesting day when my little nephew blindly bumped into me. He was busy smiling and laughing while fully immersed on and in his phone. The incident annoyed me and I decided to sit the boy down and gave him a discourse on cyber life and space. "Young man," I began, "Do not be deceived with life on and in cyberspace, life and people are far more complex than the way cyberspace portrays them to be. Life is more than uploading a photo on social media and receiving hundred likes."

At this point of the conversation, I could see that the kid realised that I was serious about was I putting across. "Young man," I continued, "If you want to experience the real world and real people, get off your phone and get into the real world. Once you do that, you will come to understand that never should one underestimate the stupidity and greed of people. Once in the real world, you will come to understand that one needs role models in life but never should one be so dull as to grow in the shadow of their role models because if you do, you will end up as a malnourished copy of your model."

When I stopped to get a glance at the boy, I could see that he was at full concentration. Then I thought it wise to dismiss the boy so that he can ingest, digest and assimilate the lecture. When the boy left, I thought to myself, "Perhaps I needed the lecture more than the boy."

After giving a powerful lecture to the young boy, I decided to take some time off my busy schedule to visit a longtime childhood and secondary school friend. My friend Moses like many other friends of mine dreamed of being a Medical Doctor. He worked hard at school and did all that was necessary. But at the end of the day, like many of us, life had a different package for him. My friend found himself working as a teacher.

Being a weekend, my friend was busy making schemes of work and lesson plans. Just like the olden days my friend always took work seriously but when he saw me, he decided to put his consignment of papers aside. "Trees have personalities and that is why each tree sheds its leaves differently," was his exclamation when he saw me. "Since when did you become a guru," I retorted. "Wisdom is open for all who seek her," was his reply. "It appears you have found favour with her and you are enjoying yourself in her presence," I said in return.

We had just finished our philosophical banter when my friend suddenly changed his countenance and looked worried and distressed. "You don't look good, what is the matter?" I asked. "I feel like quitting my job and trying something else," he answered. "Am glad it's only a feeling," I retorted. "What is the provenance of your feeling?" I asked.

Then resorting to philosophy he said, "If a fool throws a stone into the ocean, even hundred sages cannot bring it back." In similar style, I said to him, "It appears you have a perfect reflection of the despair of the wise in the face of stupidity. Isn't the world full of stones? So why should the wise try so hard to get back the thrown away stone? Why can't they look around, they might find different kinds and new treasures which they cannot find by searching in vain in the water." "It appears you understand my predicament, allow me to speak to you in plain words," he remarked. "Am grateful you realise that, do you mind if I can have a glass of water or better still wine." I said with vitality.

"Did I hear you say wine?" he asked. "Yes," I answered. Then with a serious face he looked at me and said, "In my few years of walking the earth, I have learnt a few important things. One of them being the fact that wine or alcohol whatever you call it, is a great preservative. It can preserve so many things but unfortunately, dignity is not one of them." For a moment, I thought I was at the feet of the Da Lai Lama. The thought was so refreshing like wine itself such that I had no need of a glass of wine anymore.

THANK YOU FOR READING.